What do those words mean UNDERSTANDING VOCABULARY Learning

What do those words mean? ! UNDERSTANDING VOCABULARY

Learning Goal Students will be able to determine the meanings of unknown words by analyzing context clues, understanding word relationships, and examining word parts.

Student Objective Using context clues will help me identify the meaning of unknown words. 3 – use context clues to define grade-level vocabulary 2 – describe how to use context clues 1 – define context clues

What are context clues? Context clues are words that come before and after a particular word or phrase that can help you determine the meaning. Using context clues is one of the best ways strategies for determining meanings of unfamiliar words.

Types of Context Clues Clue What to Look For Example Definition These words are often defined in the reading. The driving instructor asked Chris to parallel park, or park beside the curb. Antonyms/Contrasts Signal words such as unlike, not, however, can help you to look for contrasts. Some children are not gregarious and do not enjoy socializing with other kids. Synonyms or Restatements A word or phrase that is Jessica showed great similar to the difficult word fortitude and determination will give you clues to its by completing the marathon. meaning. Words or Phrases That Modify Modifiers – such as adjectives, adverbs, or phrases and clauses – often provide clues. It is a remote place, and divided from the rest of the world by a great forked range of mountains on the north and west.

Types of Context Clues Clue What to Look For Example Cause/Effect The stated cause or effect When a car’s tires lose their will give you clues to the tread, they can no longer meaning of a difficult word. adhere to the road properly and may result in an accident. Example/Explanation The explanation of a The teacher’s monotone difficult word will appear in voice droned on and on; an example. neither the players’ union nor the owners will compromise. Concrete Examples An example will illustrate and clarify a difficult concept. Foreign antigens are introduced from outside the body. Components of bacteria are examples of foreign antigens.

Understanding Word Relationships As a reader, you need to recognize words that have nearly the same meaning (synonyms) and the words that have opposite meanings (antonyms). Analogies are often used to represent word relationships.

What are analogies? They are expressions that show similarities between two things. An analogy question has two sets of words that share a common relationship. Your job as the reader is to figure out the relationship of the pair of words. Then you apply that same relationship to the other pair of words and complete the analogy.

Types of Analogies in Which Word Order is Not Important Example Synonyms omit : skip : : choose : pick Antonyms jolly : gloomy : : elation : depression Rhyming Words chair : lair : : poise : noise Homophones crews : cruise : : beech : beach Parts of the Same Thing stem : petal : : trunk : leaf Two Examples from the Same Class lake : river : : hill : mountain

Types of Analogies in Which Word Order is Important Example Different Forms of the Same Word apply : application : : evaluate : evaluation Name and Location country : England : : continent : Asia Class and Example of that Class offspring : colt : : singer : soprano Item and Who Uses It plane : pilot : : stage : performer Item and What It Is Designed to Do hammer : pound : : knife : cut Item and a Word that Describes It thorn : sharp : : comedian : funny Whole and Part dresser : drawer : : sweater : sleeve Action and Where It Takes Place run : track : : swim : pool Result and Who Does It house : builder : : sonnet : poet Sequence infancy : childhood : : bud : flower

What are word parts? Root: the part of a word that carries meaning Prefixes: word parts that are added to the beginning of words to change the meaning Suffixes: a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning and, sometimes, its part of speech.